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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · lash · straw · track · mouse · pass · lie · fork

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. track — a song
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lie — to recline
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. track — a path
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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