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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — a break
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. rest — what's left
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fine — all right
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. hand — help

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