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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. craft — boats
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. object — a thing
  7. clip — a video
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. clip — to cut
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. craft — a skill
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. clip — for paper
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. object — to protest

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