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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.

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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: tear · lash · leaves · race · suit · lie · object · rest

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. tear — to rip
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. object — an aim
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. object — to protest
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — a thing
  22. rest — a break
  23. race — humankind
  24. leaves — to go away

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