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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — of a word
  7. hand — help
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — in control
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — a thing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — a price
  22. root — the cause
  23. object — to protest
  24. ball — a round shape

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