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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — to recline
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — the arms race
  14. board — a committee
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. board — to get on
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rock — a stone
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. 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