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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. clip — a video
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — a thing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bass — low music
  19. object — to protest
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — a jug

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