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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 120 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. land — a country
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fine — high quality
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fine — all right
  12. land — to come down
  13. board — a committee
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. land — ground
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. deal — to handle

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