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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · tear · rule · snap · bay · safe

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rule — government
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rule — a law
  13. snap — to click
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. tear — to rip
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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