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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mate — to breed
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. court — of a king
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hand — help
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. fine — a penalty

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