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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — the underground
  7. band — a music group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mine — for digging
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — hurry
  18. band — a ring
  19. club — a group
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rest — a break
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. club — for golf

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