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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — certain
  7. hand — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — to recline
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. hand — help
  18. sharp — clever
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — obliged

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