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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mark — a trace
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lie — to recline
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. dip — a sauce

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