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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. face — to confront
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — a division
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. foot — part of the body

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