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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. drill — army training
  4. chair — a leader
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fall — the season
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fine — all right

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