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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — steady
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. row — to paddle
  9. firm — decided
  10. wind — moving air
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wind — moving air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. season — in sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. season — of the year
  24. cabinet — ministers

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