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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: cap · pitcher · hand · lie · bank · lash · object · hide

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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 — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — in cards
  6. object — an aim
  7. cap — a lid
  8. hand — help
  9. object — a thing
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cap — a hat
  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