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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. hand — help
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bound — certain
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. tube — the underground
  10. band — a music group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. band — a ring
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. tube — a container
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bound — tied together

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