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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bound — tied together
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — to recline
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bound — obliged
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — a break
  24. bound — certain

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