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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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Word bank
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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. present — a gift
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. present — the time now
  19. face — to point toward
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. foot — a measure
  23. face — to confront
  24. lash — an eyelash

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