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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. tube — the underground
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. tube — a container
  9. root — of a word
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pit — in a race
  17. snap — to click
  18. content — the amount
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. root — the cause
  24. content — happy

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