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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. season — in sport
  4. face — part of the head
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — a cake
  8. firm — decided
  9. roll — a list
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — the underground
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. tube — a container
  21. firm — steady
  22. wind — moving air
  23. face — to confront
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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