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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stem — to come from
  4. charge — electricity
  5. clip — to cut
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. club — a group
  11. scale — in music
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. charge — in control
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. craft — a skill
  16. club — for golf
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. clip — a video
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — a price
  22. craft — boats
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stem — of a plant

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