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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 124 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bark — to shout
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. object — an aim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. object — a thing
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — government
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. object — to protest
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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