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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. roll — a list
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mug — a cup
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. roll — a cake
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — an injury

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