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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hand — help
  3. can — a tin
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a lid
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — to fit
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. hand — in cards
  16. suit — in cards
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cap — a hat
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. straw — dry grass

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