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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lean — thin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — decided
  8. shower — rain
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. firm — steady
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. firm — a company
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lean — to bend
  24. shower — to wash

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