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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cold — an illness
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cold — not warm
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — size or range
  17. content — happy
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. craft — boats
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. content — the amount
  22. scale — in music
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mouse — the animal

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