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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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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: mark · bear · lash · row · vault · wind · rest · lie

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — a break
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. row — a line
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — a safe
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mark — a grade
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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