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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. file — a document
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a tool
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. suit — to fit
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. suit — in cards
  13. file — a line of people
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. snap — to click
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. craft — boats

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