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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. drill — army training
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bound — certain
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fork — in a road
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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