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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. march — music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. row — a line
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. row — to paddle
  14. march — the month
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. march — the month
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fan — a supporter

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