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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — a song
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spring — of water
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. track — a path
  20. kick — in football
  21. mug — a face
  22. board — to get on
  23. spring — a coil
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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