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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. band — a ring
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mate — a partner
  6. band — a music group
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cap — a hat
  9. last — finally
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. last — final
  14. lie — to recline
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. last — to go on
  24. lash — to lash out

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