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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chip — for betting
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — a country
  7. chip — to eat
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. face — to point toward
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — to confront
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bank — of a river
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — a line
  24. foot — the bottom

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