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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. scale — in music
  4. face — to confront
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chest — of your body
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. chest — a box
  16. scale — size or range
  17. band — a ring
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. band — a music group
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. face — part of the head
  24. chest — of your body

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