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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. content — happy
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fine — high quality
  12. content — the amount
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. firm — a company
  18. ground — the earth
  19. fine — all right
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ground — a position
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. fan — to cool the air

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