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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pop — to visit
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — a path
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. row — to paddle

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