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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — the time now
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bass — low music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — the instrument

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