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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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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. track — a song
  3. ball — a dance
  4. dip — to sink
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. track — to keep track
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. field — a subject
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. field — for sport
  13. ball — a great time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. charge — in control
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — electricity
  21. field — farmland
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a path
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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