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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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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: craft · lean · lash · dip · mark · clip · rush · ground

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mark — a trace
  3. clip — for paper
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. clip — a video
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. clip — to cut
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. ground — a position
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. dip — to sink
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — hurry
  24. dip — a sauce

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