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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. club — a group
  7. net — after costs
  8. wind — moving air
  9. net — for catching
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. net — in sport
  12. face — part of the head
  13. club — for golf
  14. face — to point toward
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cue — a signal
  24. face — to confront

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