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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bat — the animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — to handle
  11. row — a line
  12. scale — in music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mouse — for a computer

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