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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. track — a song
  7. toast — bread
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. scale — in music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. track — a path
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wake — a trail
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  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