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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. clip — a video
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. clip — for paper
  12. spell — magic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lean — thin
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — music
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stock — shares
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. toast — bread
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. spell — letters

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