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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 124 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stem — to come from
  9. net — for catching
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. net — after costs
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. net — in sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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