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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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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — a company
  4. wind — moving air
  5. firm — steady
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. band — a ring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a music group
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. firm — decided

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