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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. staff — employees
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. dip — to sink
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. staff — a stick
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. game — a match
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rash — a series
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. lash — to lash out

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