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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. firm — steady
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — a company
  8. rock — music
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mark — a grade
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. firm — decided
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wave — with your hand

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