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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — in control
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. charge — a price
  14. rest — a break
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. charge — electricity
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bank — of a river

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