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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. pit — in a race
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — for dancing
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. row — a line
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rest — a break
  15. pit — a hole
  16. club — for golf
  17. pop — music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. club — a group
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. lash — to lash out

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