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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cold — not warm
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bat — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. club — a group
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lash — to lash out

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