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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. land — ground
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. court — of a king
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. court — of law
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rule — government
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. land — a country
  17. rule — a law
  18. mark — a trace
  19. land — to come down
  20. court — for sport
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lash — to lash out

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