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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: rock · mine · row · lie · trunk · cabinet · lash · saw

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rock — a stone
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a line
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. mine — for digging
  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