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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. last — final
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. staff — a stick
  8. snap — to click
  9. drill — army training
  10. last — finally
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. last — to go on
  24. vault — a safe

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