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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — letters
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — a tin
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spell — magic
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cell — in biology
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wind — moving air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — low music
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cell — a phone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bass — the fish
  22. can — a tin
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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