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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. suit — clothes
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. snap — to click
  6. swing — to play on
  7. scale — in music
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. scale — size or range
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pit — a hole
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. swing — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — a division
  19. mug — to rob
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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