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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — a group
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. object — a thing
  8. club — for dancing
  9. scale — in music
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rush — hurry
  12. object — an aim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mug — a face
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. club — for golf

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