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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pop — music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — decided
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. clip — to cut
  13. firm — a company
  14. clip — a video
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. firm — steady
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pop — soda
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rush — to hurry

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