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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. racket — a loud noise

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