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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. staff — employees
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wound — an injury
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. can — a tin
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. face — to confront
  20. staff — employees
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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