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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. face — part of the head
  4. net — after costs
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. net — for catching
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spell — a short time
  12. swing — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. net — in sport
  15. ground — a position
  16. face — to confront
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spell — magic
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. spell — letters
  22. mark — a grade
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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