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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. track — a song
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. firm — decided
  8. chest — of your body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. object — an aim
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. chest — a box
  13. object — a thing
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chest — of your body
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. clip — for paper
  24. object — to protest

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