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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.

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: court · spring · safe · lash · track · face · kid · rash

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. spring — the season
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rash — a series
  6. kid — to tease
  7. court — of law
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. track — a path
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. face — to confront
  17. rash — hasty
  18. kid — child
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. track — a song
  22. face — part of the head
  23. court — of a king
  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