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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — a stone
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stem — to come from
  8. clip — to cut
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — in sport
  14. clip — a video
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. face — to confront
  17. rock — music
  18. clip — for paper
  19. season — of the year
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. safe — out of danger

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