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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: bay · pit · mine · club · lash · bound · racket · ground

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for golf
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ground — a position
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ground — the earth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mine — for digging
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bound — certain
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. club — a group

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