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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ground — a position
  6. cap — a lid
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. content — happy
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ground — the earth
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lie — to recline
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cap — of ice
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. object — a thing
  23. content — the amount
  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