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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — crushed
  5. clip — a video
  6. chip — to eat
  7. track — a song
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. track — a path
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ground — a position
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the fish
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. ground — the earth
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bass — low music

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