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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wake — a trail
  5. face — part of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. degree — from a university
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mate — to breed
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mate — a friend

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