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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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468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. charge — a price
  5. chest — a box
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. charge — in control
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. charge — electricity
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — to protest
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. chest — of your body
  24. hand — help

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