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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pop — soda
  19. saw — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bark — to shout
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bark — of a tree

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