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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cue — a hint
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. deal — to handle
  10. net — after costs
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cue — for pool
  18. current — of water
  19. net — for catching
  20. cue — a signal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. net — in sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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