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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wind — moving air
  4. face — to point toward
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rule — government
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fork — in a road
  10. face — to confront
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spell — magic
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rule — a law

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