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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. band — a music group
  13. wake — a trail
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — before a funeral

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