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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · ball · prune · can · lean · track · lash · mate

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a song
  4. game — a match
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — a tin
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. game — wild animals
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — thin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — a path
  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