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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. hand — in cards
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. face — to confront
  9. spell — magic
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mine — for digging
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fork — in a road

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