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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. net — in sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tear — to rip
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. tear — from crying
  15. foot — a measure
  16. net — for catching
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. scale — in music
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ball — a great time
  22. net — after costs
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ball — a round shape

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