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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cap — a lid
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bulb — for light
  11. staff — employees
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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