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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. can — a tin
  5. track — a song
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. track — a path
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bound — tied together

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