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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rash — hasty
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — a series
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — thin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ruler — for measuring

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