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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — a signal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mug — to rob
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mug — a cup
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a hint
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — in sport
  24. lash — an eyelash

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