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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. key — the most important part
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a hole
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — in music
  18. face — to confront

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