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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pop — soda
  4. file — a document
  5. mate — a partner
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — the time now
  12. pop — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — a tin
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. present — there
  24. mate — to breed

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