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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. fine — high quality
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fine — all right
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bore — to tire
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bear — to put up with

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