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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lean — to bend
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. craft — boats
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. tear — to rip
  20. saw — the tool
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lean — thin

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