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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. club — a group
  6. land — ground
  7. squash — to crush
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. land — a country
  13. firm — steady
  14. club — for dancing
  15. firm — a company
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. land — to come down
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. club — for golf

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