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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — a break
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rash — a series
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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