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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. present — there
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — to point toward
  11. present — a gift
  12. content — the amount
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — the time now
  15. content — happy
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. sharp — clever

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