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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. present — the time now
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. hand — help
  6. spell — a short time
  7. hand — in cards
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spell — magic
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. spell — letters

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