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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. face — to confront
  5. cell — in biology
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. content — happy
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. tear — to rip
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cue — a signal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. content — the amount
  24. temple — a place of worship

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