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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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 — a whip stroke
  2. pop — soda
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wind — moving air
  9. file — a document
  10. face — to point toward
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. file — a line of people
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pop — to visit
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pop — music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. file — a tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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