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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cap — a lid
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — of water
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. squash — the sport
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. spring — the season
  23. pit — in a race
  24. safe — a strongbox

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