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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. press — to push
  12. object — an aim
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. press — a publisher
  18. track — a song
  19. object — a thing
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. object — to protest
  24. tear — to rip

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