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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. face — to confront
  10. press — a publisher
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. face — to point toward
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. press — to push
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — to rob
  22. spell — letters
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mug — a face

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