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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pop — soda
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kid — child
  11. face — part of the head
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bass — low music
  20. pop — music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. track — a song

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