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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. land — to come down
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rash — a series
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — boats
  16. land — a country
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. land — ground
  22. saw — the tool
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. dip — a sauce

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