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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — happening now
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. current — electric
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. current — of water
  23. mark — a grade
  24. degree — an amount

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