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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ground — a position
  21. cue — a hint
  22. charge — a price
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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