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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.

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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. present — there
  8. spring — the season
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mug — a face
  12. firm — a company
  13. kid — child
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. firm — decided
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — of water
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — a gift
  24. mug — a cup

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