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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — decided
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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