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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — electric
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. current — of water
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — soda
  18. current — happening now
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — a face
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mug — a cup

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