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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. face — to confront
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — for light

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