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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chest — a box
  3. rash — hasty
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — to confront
  20. wound — an injury
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. chest — of your body

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