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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cell — a phone
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cell — in biology
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a tool

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