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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. face — part of the head
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bound — obliged
  10. press — newspapers
  11. shower — rain
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. face — to confront
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bound — certain
  24. shower — to wash

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