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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rock — music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wind — to turn a key

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