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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — happy
  5. fall — the season
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. track — a song
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lean — thin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fall — to drop
  23. track — a path
  24. chair — to sit on

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