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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. land — a country
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — to come down
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — in control
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — a price
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rock — music
  23. land — ground
  24. fine — high quality

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