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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. club — for dancing
  6. chip — for betting
  7. scale — size or range
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. scale — in music
  10. root — the cause
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. court — of a king
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — of a word
  17. hand — help
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — of law
  21. chip — to eat
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. hand — in cards

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