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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. firm — steady
  2. spell — magic
  3. firm — a company
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spell — a short time
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — to fit
  13. shower — rain
  14. rash — a series
  15. shower — to wash
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. firm — decided
  20. rash — hasty
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — clothes
  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