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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. lie — to recline
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — to bear

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