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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. band — a ring
  3. firm — decided
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — a face
  8. band — a music group
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mug — a cup
  17. craft — boats
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mark — a trace
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. firm — steady
  23. row — a line
  24. firm — a company

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