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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — in sport
  6. mug — a face
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. roll — a cake
  10. face — part of the head
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. face — to confront
  14. season — of the year
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. staff — a stick
  17. roll — a list
  18. staff — employees
  19. mug — to rob
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — to add flavour

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