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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. capital — money
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. can — to be able to
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mug — to rob
  10. can — a tin
  11. track — a song
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. file — a document
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. file — a tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mug — a face
  24. bore — to drill

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