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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. face — part of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — to get on
  10. dip — to sink
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cold — an illness
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — to point toward
  20. cold — not warm
  21. face — to confront
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rush — hurry

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