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

Word bank: cold · snap · craft · lash · deal · last · swing · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a skill
  4. last — finally
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. craft — boats
  9. cold — an illness
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. last — to go on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. snap — to click
  16. last — final
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stand — to bear
  22. swing — to play on
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — to lash out

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