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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
468
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: mouse · shower · craft · fine · cap · lash · object · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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. shower — rain
  4. object — to protest
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — to wash
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — a thing
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. lie — to recline
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. object — an aim
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cap — of ice

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