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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. dip — to sink
  8. charge — in control
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rash — a series
  13. court — of a king
  14. race — the arms race
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. court — for sport
  19. perch — the fish
  20. charge — a price
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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