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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: toast · lean · lash · clip · ruler · pitch · firm · bat

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. toast — bread
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. clip — for paper
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. firm — decided
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. lean — thin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — steady
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. firm — a company
  21. bat — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to bend

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