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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. object — to protest
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ground — a position
  7. object — a thing
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. object — an aim
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ground — the earth
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle

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