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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — to confront
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — obliged
  18. racket — for tennis

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