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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. lie — to recline
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. hand — in cards
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cue — a hint
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — help
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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