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

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. firm — steady
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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