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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. spell — letters
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — all right
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pop — soda
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. spell — a short time
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fine — high quality

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