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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fine — all right
  3. object — a thing
  4. fine — high quality
  5. roll — a list
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rash — hasty
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. object — an aim
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rash — a series
  17. fall — to drop
  18. object — to protest
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. roll — a cake

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