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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 120 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's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. row — a line
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — to protest
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. object — an aim
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. present — the time now
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. fine — high quality
  16. object — a thing
  17. sharp — clever
  18. present — a gift
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — there
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fine — all right
  24. sharp — with an edge

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