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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. club — a group
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. face — to confront
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. capital — money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cue — for pool
  17. face — part of the head
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. capital — a city
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lash — to lash out

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