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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. object — to protest
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. can — to be able to
  9. kid — child
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. snap — to click
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. object — an aim
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. pound — a weight
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spell — letters
  23. object — a thing
  24. kid — to tease

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