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

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — a measure
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. snap — to click
  18. rock — a stone
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rock — music
  24. lie — to recline

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