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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — a break
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. firm — a company
  15. perch — the fish
  16. firm — decided
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rest — what's left

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