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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.

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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. snap — to click
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. face — to confront
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — there
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lean — thin
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rock — music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. calf — a young animal

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