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

Word bank: pitcher · bound · lie · stem · mug · kick · lash · fine

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fine — all right
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mug — to rob
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. stem — of a plant

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