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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — an aim
  6. mug — a face
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. kid — child
  9. charge — a price
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. object — a thing
  14. root — the cause
  15. mug — to rob
  16. kid — to tease
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. wake — a trail
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lash — to lash out

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