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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bound — certain
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — rain
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bound — obliged
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — tied together
  19. chair — a leader
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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