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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — a series
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — electric
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — hasty
  9. file — a tool
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. current — happening now
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. file — a document
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. suit — in cards
  23. file — a line of people
  24. current — of water

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