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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. craft — boats
  8. band — a ring
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. shower — to wash
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. shower — rain
  17. craft — a skill
  18. band — a music group
  19. lie — to recline
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. degree — an amount

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