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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. face — to point toward
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fork — in a road
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. jam — in traffic

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