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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a committee
  3. charge — in control
  4. face — part of the head
  5. charge — a price
  6. root — of a plant
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. face — to point toward
  9. root — of a word
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. band — a music group
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — to get on
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — the cause
  22. saw — the tool
  23. band — a ring
  24. face — to confront

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