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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. kid — to tease
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. lean — thin
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. last — to go on
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — for pool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. kid — child
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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