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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. drill — army training
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. drill — the tool
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fork — to eat with

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