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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — in cards
  4. face — to point toward
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. suit — to fit
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. staff — employees
  16. wound — an injury
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fine — all right
  21. suit — clothes
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. face — part of the head

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