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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pop — music
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lie — an untruth

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