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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. land — ground
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. ground — a position
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — to confront
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bore — to tire
  17. land — to come down
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ground — crushed
  20. craft — boats
  21. land — a country
  22. face — to point toward
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fan — a supporter

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