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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a document
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. swing — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wave — with your hand

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