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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 124 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pit — a hole
  5. object — an aim
  6. hand — in cards
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mug — a face
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. object — a thing
  12. club — for golf
  13. pit — in a race
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. toast — bread
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. branch — a division
  18. club — for dancing
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hand — help
  22. club — a group
  23. object — to protest
  24. lash — an eyelash

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