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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rash — a series
  5. cap — a lid
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mark — a grade
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mug — a face
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. present — the time now
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. present — a gift
  17. tube — a container
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. present — there
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mug — a cup
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rash — on the skin

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