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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rash — a series
  6. spring — of water
  7. rest — a break
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spring — the season
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mug — to rob
  21. deal — to handle
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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