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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. charge — a price
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — to put up with

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