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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wind — moving air
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. can — to be able to
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wind — moving air
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. toast — bread
  24. lash — to lash out

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