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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — in control
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. charge — a price
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wound — an injury

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