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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. clip — for paper
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a dance
  12. clip — to cut
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rock — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — ground
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — a video
  19. land — to come down
  20. can — to be able to
  21. land — a country
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. rest — what's left

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