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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to click
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pitch — completely
  12. track — a song
  13. bank — of a river
  14. track — a path
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. safe — out of danger

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