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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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Word bank
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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. sharp — clever
  3. clip — for paper
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bass — low music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. clip — a video
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. perch — the fish
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rush — hurry
  24. safe — out of danger

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