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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. net — after costs
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. net — in sport
  5. face — to point toward
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. net — for catching
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chest — of your body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. face — part of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — a box
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — for spectators

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