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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lie — an untruth

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