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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. roll — a cake
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. roll — a list
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. cap — a hat
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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