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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 124 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. present — there
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. present — the time now
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. game — a match
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. present — a gift
  20. fine — all right
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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