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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. toast — bread
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pop — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a ring
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. content — happy
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. content — the amount
  22. pop — soda
  23. band — a music group
  24. tube — in a tire

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