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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — decided
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. object — to protest
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — steady
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. spring — the season
  18. object — a thing
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spring — of water
  24. band — a ring

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