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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. file — a line of people
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. file — a document
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. face — to confront
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. file — a tool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. face — to point toward

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