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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 124 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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468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. object — an aim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. object — a thing
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — a stone
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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