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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a signal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. snap — to click
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. hand — in cards
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hand — help
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spring — the season
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — a tin
  23. spring — of water
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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