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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. track — a song
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a path
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lean — thin
  24. track — to keep track

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