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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — a company
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rest — a break
  9. row — to paddle
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. firm — decided
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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