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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.

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: racket · deal · wake · can · lash · hand · lie · object

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — a trail
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. hand — help
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — in cards
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — to recline
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lie — an untruth

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