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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 · dip · last · chest · ground · perch · mug · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mug — a cup
  5. last — finally
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. last — to go on
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chest — a box
  14. mug — a face
  15. last — final
  16. ground — crushed
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. dip — a sauce

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