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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a document
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. spell — letters
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. file — a line of people

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