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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wake — a trail
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lie — to recline
  12. capital — a city
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitch — completely
  15. capital — money
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. season — of the year
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. ruler — for measuring

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