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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bat — the animal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. prune — to trim
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. hide — animal skin

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