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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cap — a hat
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — to recline
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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