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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. object — a thing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — a price
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a music group
  14. charge — in control
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. band — a ring
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. object — an aim
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chest — a box

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