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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. game — a match
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lie — to recline
  17. squash — to crush
  18. tube — the underground
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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