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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. hand — in cards
  3. last — finally
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. last — to go on
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — a gift
  20. hand — help
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cap — a hat
  23. spell — magic
  24. last — final

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