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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. face — part of the head
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lie — to recline

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