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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. last — to go on
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. face — to point toward
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fall — to drop
  12. toast — bread
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. firm — decided
  15. face — part of the head
  16. last — final
  17. firm — steady
  18. fall — the season
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. firm — a company
  21. last — finally
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hide — to keep secret

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