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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. club — for golf
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rash — a series
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rash — hasty
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. roll — a list
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. dip — to sink

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