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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. kid — child
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. squash — the sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a dance
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a great time
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — an eyelash

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