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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. object — a thing
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bound — certain
  7. cell — in biology
  8. track — a path
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. object — an aim
  11. bound — tied together
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. object — to protest
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. track — to keep track

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