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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. sharp — clever
  6. net — after costs
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. present — there
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. present — the time now
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. branch — a division
  13. kid — child
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. net — in sport
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. kid — to tease
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. net — for catching
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. sharp — with an edge

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