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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 124 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — to bend
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a grade
  7. kid — to tease
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. tube — the underground
  14. kid — child
  15. tube — a container
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lean — thin
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mine — belonging to me

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