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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. present — there
  5. track — a path
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. track — to keep track
  9. spell — magic
  10. present — the time now
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spell — letters
  13. track — a song
  14. present — a gift
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. spell — a short time

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