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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lean — thin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bulb — for light
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. snap — to click
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rash — a series
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — a permit

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