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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — shares
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. field — for sport
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stock — goods
  19. field — farmland
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. field — a subject

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