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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. face — to point toward
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. net — in sport
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. face — to confront
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. face — part of the head

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