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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fan — to cool the air

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