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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. game — wild animals
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. club — a group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. game — a match
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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