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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fall — the season
  10. board — to get on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. club — for golf
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fall — to drop
  21. board — a committee
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — the animal
  24. club — a group

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