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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: club · season · wake · mug · pit · ground · firm · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ground — the earth
  4. season — in sport
  5. mug — a cup
  6. club — for golf
  7. mug — a face
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ground — crushed
  15. firm — steady
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wake — a trail
  21. club — a group
  22. season — of the year
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — decided

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