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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spring — the season
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rest — a break
  5. saw — the tool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. swing — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. spring — of water
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rest — what's left
  14. saw — the tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bear — to put up with

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