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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wind — moving air
  4. toast — bread
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. suit — in cards
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. deal — to handle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wind — moving air
  23. perch — the fish
  24. deal — a big deal

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