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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pass — a permit
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — final
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. date — the fruit
  14. last — to go on
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. wind — moving air
  24. last — finally

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