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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. spring — the season
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. face — to point toward
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — in music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — of water
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rock — music
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. face — to confront
  24. row — a line

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