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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fall — the season
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. capital — a city
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. pass — a permit
  19. face — to confront
  20. capital — money
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — in football
  24. fall — to drop

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