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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — music
  9. kick — in football
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. charge — a price
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. craft — boats
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. foot — a measure
  20. charge — electricity
  21. current — electric
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. craft — a skill
  24. current — of water

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