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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. row — a line
  12. wound — an injury
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. nail — on a finger

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