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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. race — humankind
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to confront
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lie — to recline
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. pit — in a race
  18. march — music
  19. race — a contest
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. face — part of the head
  24. march — the month

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