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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mug — to rob
  3. object — a thing
  4. mug — a face
  5. chest — of your body
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chest — a box
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — an aim
  10. drill — army training
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — a gift
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. present — the time now
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. present — there
  21. mug — a cup
  22. object — to protest
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chest — of your body

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