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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. firm — decided
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pop — music
  7. clip — a video
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pop — to visit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. clip — for paper
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. firm — a company
  17. pop — soda
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. firm — steady
  20. clip — to cut
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — a trail
  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