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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a hint
  5. face — to point toward
  6. charge — in control
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. firm — a company
  12. face — to confront
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. cue — a signal
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — for pool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. clip — for paper
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lash — to lash out

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