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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — the tool
  5. face — to confront
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. face — to point toward
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — part of the head
  18. chair — a leader
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. fan — to cool the air

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