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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rash — a series
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. net — for catching
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. net — after costs
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a path

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