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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. wind — moving air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — an aim
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. object — to protest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — in music
  18. object — a thing
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. key — for a lock
  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