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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spell — a short time
  4. object — to protest
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spell — magic
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. object — an aim
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. snap — to click
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — a thing
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — a match

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