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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 116 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 a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. row — to paddle
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. row — a line
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fine — high quality
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — an injury
  15. club — for dancing
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. club — for golf
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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