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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 do anything ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fall — to drop
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to click
  17. fall — the season
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rash — a series
  21. firm — a company
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pass — to succeed

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