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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chest — a box
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chest — of your body
  18. drill — army training
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stem — to come from
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chest — of your body

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