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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rest — what's left
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pop — music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rest — a break
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rest — what's left

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