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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — a company
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mine — for digging
  10. track — a path
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — a song
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. firm — decided

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