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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. suit — to fit
  4. object — to protest
  5. rock — music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. object — an aim
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tube — a container
  10. cue — a signal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. object — a thing
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tube — the underground
  18. chest — a box
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cue — a hint
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bear — the animal

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