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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.

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: staff · rule · pit · lie · pitcher · lash · mine · dip

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lie — to recline
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pit — a hole
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rule — government
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — a law

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