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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. scale — in music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. capital — a city
  8. scale — size or range
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rush — hurry
  16. capital — money
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. temple — side of the head

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