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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bat — the animal
  3. court — of a king
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. current — of water
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. court — of law
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. court — for sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. plane — an aircraft

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