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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ball — a great time
  5. current — electric
  6. deal — to handle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. row — a line
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — in football
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. current — of water
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. current — happening now
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. row — to paddle

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