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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — rain
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cold — not warm
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. cold — an illness
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — for digging
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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