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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a document
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — in golf
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stem — to come from
  11. suit — to fit
  12. track — a path
  13. swing — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. swing — to play on
  16. file — a line of people
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — clothes
  20. track — a song
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. suit — in cards
  24. deal — a big deal

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