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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. last — final
  3. march — the month
  4. last — finally
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bound — tied together
  9. march — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. march — the month
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. last — to go on
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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