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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. toast — bread
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — happening now
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. current — of water
  15. drill — army training
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. current — electric
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. charge — electricity
  24. dip — a sauce

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