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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. object — an aim
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lie — to recline
  10. object — to protest
  11. net — in sport
  12. object — a thing
  13. shower — to wash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cap — a lid
  17. net — after costs
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. shower — rain
  24. bulb — of a plant

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