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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. content — the amount
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. suit — in cards
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wake — a trail
  22. scale — in music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rash — a series

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