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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. court — of a king
  3. snap — to click
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. court — of law
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stock — goods
  12. march — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. march — the month
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — shares
  19. march — the month
  20. court — for sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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