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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — child
  13. pop — to visit
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pop — soda
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mark — a trace

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