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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. content — the amount
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. content — happy
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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