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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. shower — rain
  6. snap — to click
  7. suit — to fit
  8. swing — music
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rush — hurry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. shower — to wash

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