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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. object — a thing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ground — a position
  14. can — to be able to
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lie — to recline
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. wound — an injury

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