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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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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. march — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mouse — the animal

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