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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rash — a series
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. vault — a safe
  11. game — a match
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — music
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rash — hasty
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rush — a thrill

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