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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. file — a document
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cold — an illness
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. firm — decided
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. firm — steady
  15. cold — not warm
  16. file — a line of people
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. firm — a company
  20. file — a tool
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. suit — in cards

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