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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. 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. dip — to dunk
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. face — to point toward
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. face — part of the head
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lean — thin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. face — to confront
  18. 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