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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. kid — to tease
  6. club — for golf
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mug — to rob
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mark — a trace
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. tear — from crying
  20. kid — child
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wind — to turn a key

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