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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. object — an aim
  8. date — the fruit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. object — to protest
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — a thing
  22. kick — in football
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fan — to cool the air

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