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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. capital — a city
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. capital — money
  17. cell — a phone
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — a song

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