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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. land — ground
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. current — electric
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — there
  10. club — for golf
  11. land — a country
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. land — to come down
  15. present — the time now
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. present — a gift
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — letters
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — a trainer

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