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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — thin
  5. content — the amount
  6. lean — to bend
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. content — happy
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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