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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. foot — a measure
  10. chest — a box
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to point toward
  16. board — to get on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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