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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. roll — a list
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. ground — a position
  13. hand — help
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — the earth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rash — a series
  24. wake — before a funeral

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