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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. root — of a plant
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. foot — a measure
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. face — part of the head
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. swing — to play on
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. dip — to sink

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