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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — for paper
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. clip — to cut
  6. object — to protest
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. sharp — clever
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. clip — a video
  24. dip — a sauce

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