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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. root — the cause
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — certain
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. charge — electricity
  24. calf — a young animal

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