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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: lash · staff · last · cap · saw · ground · hide · dip

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ground — a position
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. last — final
  12. ground — the earth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cap — a hat
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. staff — employees
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cap — of ice
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — crushed
  24. hide — animal skin

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