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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. race — humankind
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. race — a contest
  21. track — a path
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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