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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cap — a lid
  3. board — to get on
  4. cap — of ice
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — in sport
  7. cap — a hat
  8. face — to confront
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — to point toward
  15. snap — to click
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a committee
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. face — part of the head
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lash — an eyelash

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