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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — a path
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. track — a song
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bank — for money
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — in sport
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bank — for money
  24. chest — of your body

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