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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. season — in sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. club — for golf
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. foot — a measure
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — thin
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. club — a group
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. date — on the calendar

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