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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mug — a face
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. field — for sport
  7. mug — to rob
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pass — a permit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — farmland
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — what's left

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