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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: spring · pit · last · cap · mug · plane · lash · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cap — a hat
  7. plane — a tool
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mug — a face
  16. cap — a lid
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. last — final
  19. spring — a coil
  20. last — finally
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. last — to go on

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