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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. net — for catching
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. net — after costs
  11. ground — a position
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ground — crushed
  14. track — a song
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ground — the earth
  19. track — a path
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. net — in sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — a measure

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