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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hand — help
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. object — an aim
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. object — a thing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. object — to protest
  24. hand — part of the body

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