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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. content — the amount
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. content — happy
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to sink
  15. row — a line
  16. mug — a face
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. can — a tin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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