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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — for golf
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a grade
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. club — a group
  13. object — a thing
  14. mark — a trace
  15. club — for dancing
  16. object — an aim
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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