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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · hide · ground · court · lash · rock · spring · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. court — of a king
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — crushed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spring — of water
  10. rock — a stone
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spring — a coil
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. spell — magic
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spring — the season
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. ground — the earth
  21. court — of law
  22. ground — a position
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — letters

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