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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. snap — to click
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. firm — steady
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — a tin
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — decided
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — for a computer

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