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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. charge — in control
  3. ball — a dance
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. current — happening now
  10. swing — music
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — a price
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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