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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rash — a series
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rash — hasty
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. ground — a position
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ground — the earth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. ground — crushed
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. snap — to click
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — to lash out

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