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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rash — a series
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ball — a great time
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — help
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ruler — for measuring

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