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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — completely
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — to rob
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — clever
  10. staff — employees
  11. land — a country
  12. mug — a face
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — boats
  15. land — to come down
  16. staff — employees
  17. craft — a skill
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. capital — money
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. staff — a stick
  24. craft — a handicraft

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