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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wound — an injury
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lean — thin
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lean — to bend
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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