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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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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: lash · firm · lie · nail · rest · tube · charge · hide

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — a break
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. firm — steady
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tube — a container
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — in a tire

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