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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — to fit
  5. clip — for paper
  6. foot — a measure
  7. clip — a video
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chest — a box
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lie — to recline

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