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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. dip — to sink
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — to fit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — goods
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. swing — music
  21. snap — to click
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. suit — clothes

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