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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. season — of the year
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. cell — a phone
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cell — in biology
  9. season — in sport
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pop — music
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pop — soda
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. face — to confront
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pop — to visit
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fine — all right
  24. bark — of a tree

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