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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. spell — letters
  5. mark — a trace
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lie — to recline
  9. branch — a division
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — magic
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. branch — of a bank

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