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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. club — for dancing
  3. tube — the underground
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. club — a group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — a container
  14. club — for golf
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — steady
  19. content — happy
  20. wind — moving air
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — to eat

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