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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. craft — a skill
  6. chest — of your body
  7. spell — letters
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chest — a box
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. game — wild animals
  15. spell — magic
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. spell — a short time
  22. craft — boats
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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