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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. mine — for digging
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. board — a committee
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cue — a hint
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cue — for pool
  15. face — to point toward
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pop — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  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