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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. hand — in cards
  6. chair — a leader
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. club — for golf
  22. hand — help
  23. club — a group
  24. dip — a sauce

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