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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. band — a ring
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. lean — to bend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. band — a music group
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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