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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 116 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. face — to point toward
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cold — an illness
  13. face — part of the head
  14. season — of the year
  15. lean — thin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — to confront
  19. rush — hurry
  20. season — in sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bank — for money

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