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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. game — a match
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bat — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lie — to recline
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. game — a kind of play

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