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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. capital — money
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. toast — bread
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. capital — a city
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fan — a supporter

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