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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rest — a break
  3. march — music
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rest — what's left
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. face — to confront
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — the animal
  24. march — the month

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