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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. track — a path
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. track — a song
  13. fine — all right
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cap — a lid
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fine — high quality
  20. craft — boats
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bark — to shout

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