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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bound — certain
  4. fine — all right
  5. hand — in cards
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cap — a hat
  15. hand — help
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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