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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. squash — to crush
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — to confront
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. face — part of the head
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — what's left
  24. racket — a loud noise

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