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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cap — a lid
  3. object — a thing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — a trail
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cap — a hat
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. object — an aim
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pass — to succeed

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