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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. file — a document
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. file — a line of people

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