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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. row — a line
  4. court — of a king
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — boats
  9. rash — a series
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — for sport
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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