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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. last — final
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — of a river
  16. face — part of the head
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. last — finally
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. land — a country
  24. last — to go on

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