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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. staff — a stick
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. toast — bread
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. roll — a list
  12. spell — a short time
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a cake
  15. firm — decided
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. firm — a company
  22. staff — employees
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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