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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — of water
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. present — a gift
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spring — the season
  13. present — there
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — for digging
  19. present — the time now
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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