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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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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: pass · lash · mine · lie · net · mark · game · wind

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. net — in sport
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — after costs
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. game — a match
  13. net — for catching
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mine — for digging
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lie — to recline
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wind — moving air

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