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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — music
  3. firm — steady
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a document
  12. cap — of ice
  13. firm — decided
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cap — a hat
  17. firm — a company
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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