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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. club — for golf
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. net — for catching
  16. club — for dancing
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. club — a group
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pound — a weight
  23. net — after costs
  24. tear — to rip

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