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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. firm — steady
  7. track — a song
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — decided
  10. roll — a list
  11. game — wild animals
  12. roll — a cake
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — all right
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. track — to keep track
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. game — a kind of play

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