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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cold — not warm
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fall — the season
  16. cold — an illness
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — all right
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. firm — decided
  24. trunk — of a tree

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