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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. staff — a stick
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. face — to confront
  15. staff — employees
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — a division
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. staff — employees

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