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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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Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — wild animals
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mug — a face
  11. key — in music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mug — a cup
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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