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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. face — part of the head
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — for catching
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — a city
  13. root — of a word
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. capital — money
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — to confront
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — to wash
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. lash — an eyelash

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