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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. shower — rain
  3. press — a publisher
  4. shower — to wash
  5. face — part of the head
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. can — to be able to
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. press — to push
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. content — the amount
  17. press — newspapers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. content — happy
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. can — a tin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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