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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a path
  3. net — after costs
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — clothes
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. foot — a measure
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. squash — to crush
  13. track — a song
  14. suit — in cards
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. squash — the sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. net — for catching
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. track — to keep track
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — in control

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