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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fine — high quality
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wind — moving air
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. wake — a trail
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lash — an eyelash

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