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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wave — with your hand

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