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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. degree — from a university
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. board — a committee
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. craft — a skill
  15. foot — a measure
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pass — a permit
  24. face — to confront

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