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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. charge — electricity
  3. object — an aim
  4. capital — a city
  5. object — a thing
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. row — to paddle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. row — a line
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a committee
  16. object — to protest
  17. board — to get on
  18. track — a path
  19. charge — in control
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — money
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — a song

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