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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. can — a tin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chip — for betting
  9. face — to confront
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rash — a series
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wind — moving air
  19. craft — boats
  20. rash — hasty
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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