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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. field — for sport
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. can — to be able to
  6. field — farmland
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. sharp — clever
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. scale — size or range
  13. field — a subject
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lie — to recline
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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