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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — for golf
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. squash — to crush
  5. club — for dancing
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mark — a trace
  8. track — a path
  9. net — in sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. club — a group
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. net — after costs
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mark — a grade
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. track — to keep track
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. track — a song
  24. net — for catching

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