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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. object — a thing
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. object — an aim
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — to recline
  8. current — happening now
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. current — electric
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — of water
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wind — moving air
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. lie — an untruth

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