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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. staff — employees
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — a stick
  10. degree — an amount
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pound — a weight
  14. degree — from a university
  15. spell — magic
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — a song
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. spell — letters
  21. degree — temperature
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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