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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — a price
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. row — to paddle
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. row — a line
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — in control
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rash — a series
  22. charge — electricity
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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