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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — there
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lie — to recline
  11. prune — to trim
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cell — in biology
  17. firm — decided
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — the time now
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cell — a phone
  22. present — a gift
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hide — to keep secret

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