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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. tube — a container
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cell — in biology
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rush — a thrill

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