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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — help
  16. race — humankind
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mate — a friend
  19. race — the arms race
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. hand — in cards
  22. race — a contest
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mate — a partner

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