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

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pop — soda
  6. firm — steady
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — a company
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — decided
  15. pop — music
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lash — an eyelash

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