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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fine — all right
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fine — high quality
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rest — what's left

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