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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mug — a face
  3. object — a thing
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. track — a song
  8. present — a gift
  9. track — a path
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — a permit
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. track — to keep track
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bound — tied together
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bound — obliged
  21. object — an aim
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. arm — part of the body

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