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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lean — thin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — a permit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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