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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — a grade
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mug — a face
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. present — there
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. tear — to rip
  11. present — a gift
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. last — finally
  15. mark — a trace
  16. staff — employees
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. present — the time now
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mug — to rob
  24. tube — a container

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