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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. present — a gift
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — the time now
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spring — of water
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spring — the season
  10. clip — a video
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — letters
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. present — there
  18. spring — a coil
  19. clip — to cut
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spell — magic

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