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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — a container
  4. pop — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — to visit
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bound — certain
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pop — soda
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. drill — army training
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. drill — a practice

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