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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. face — to point toward
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rash — hasty
  8. face — to confront
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rash — a series
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mate — a partner
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mate — a friend
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mate — to breed

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