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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fine — all right
  6. pass — a permit
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. roll — a list
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — a cake
  12. band — a music group
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. band — a ring
  18. rock — music
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. chair — a leader

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