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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. tube — a container
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pit — in a race
  7. face — to confront
  8. tube — the underground
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — to crush
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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