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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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Word bank
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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: ball · deal · lash · spell · mug · firm · can · straw

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. deal — to handle
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spell — magic
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. spell — letters
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. firm — a company
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. firm — steady
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mug — a face
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mug — a cup
  24. straw — a straw man

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