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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mine — for digging
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mate — a partner
  19. swing — in golf
  20. board — a committee
  21. mate — to breed
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mate — a friend

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