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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. charge — a price
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — in control
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fine — high quality
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. charge — electricity
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. club — for golf
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. row — a line
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. club — a group

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