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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. charge — in control
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. snap — to click
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rash — a series
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — a price
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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