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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ball — a great time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a match
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. tube — the underground
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — to fit
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — in cards
  20. snap — to click
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. nail — for a hammer

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