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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spell — letters
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — a contest
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. race — humankind
  24. ruler — for measuring

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