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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. snap — to click
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fine — all right
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. can — a tin
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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