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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. chest — of your body
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chest — a box
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chest — of your body
  13. scale — in music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — to get on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — to recline
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. scale — for weighing

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