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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. fall — to drop
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — a gift
  5. court — of law
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. present — there
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. season — of the year
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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