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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mark — a trace
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mark — a grade
  8. face — part of the head
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. charge — in control
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stock — shares
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. spring — of water
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. face — to confront
  21. stock — goods
  22. spring — a coil
  23. snap — to click
  24. spring — the season

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