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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. tube — a container
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wound — an injury
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — the underground
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. snap — to click
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — for light
  19. court — of law
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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