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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 116 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — boats
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — in cards
  15. face — to point toward
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. chip — in a computer

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