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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wind — moving air
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — boats
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pop — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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