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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. staff — a stick
  6. court — of a king
  7. rash — a series
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. land — to come down
  11. can — a tin
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. staff — employees
  16. land — a country
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rash — hasty
  19. land — ground
  20. bass — low music
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fine — all right
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — a tin

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