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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 116 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bound — tied together
  4. root — of a word
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. face — to point toward
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. face — to confront
  9. bound — obliged
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bound — certain
  12. wound — an injury
  13. chip — to eat
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — the cause
  17. court — of a king
  18. chip — for betting
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. court — of law
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. court — for sport
  24. root — of a plant

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