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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. present — a gift
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — in control
  5. dip — to sink
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — music
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hand — help
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — a stone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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