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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. club — a group
  3. rule — a law
  4. spell — letters
  5. rule — government
  6. ball — a dance
  7. club — for dancing
  8. spell — a short time
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mate — a friend
  11. spell — magic
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. charge — in control
  17. mate — a partner
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — to hurry

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