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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — to wash
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — boats
  16. shower — rain
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — for betting
  22. court — for sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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