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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ball — a dance
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — a container
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — to be able to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lie — to recline
  24. can — a tin

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