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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rest — what's left
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. dip — to sink
  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