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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spring — of water
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spring — a coil
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — a list
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pitch — completely
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — the season

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