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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. face — to confront
  5. press — newspapers
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. content — the amount
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kick — in football
  12. foot — a measure
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. press — to push
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. spell — letters
  24. press — a publisher

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