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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pop — music
  3. capital — money
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. board — to get on
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cap — a hat
  17. capital — a city
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fine — all right
  20. pop — soda
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cap — a lid

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