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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.

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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. face — to confront
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. face — to point toward
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cell — in biology
  14. craft — a skill
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. craft — boats
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. present — there
  21. can — a tin
  22. snap — to click
  23. present — a gift
  24. cell — in a prison

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