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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: lie · cap · pass · rock · cabinet · lash · game · dip

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. game — wild animals

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