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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. snap — to click
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mate — to breed
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cell — a phone
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. board — a committee
  22. toast — bread
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mate — a partner

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