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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bound — tied together
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. charge — in control
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. foot — a measure
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. kid — to tease
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — certain
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. charge — a price
  24. bound — obliged

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