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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. file — a document
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. firm — decided
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mug — to rob
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — obliged
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mug — a face
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. firm — a company
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. file — a tool
  22. mine — for digging
  23. firm — steady
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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