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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. spell — letters
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. field — farmland
  10. club — for dancing
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stock — goods
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — magic
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com