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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spell — magic
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rash — a series
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — for paper
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. clip — to cut
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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