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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. face — to confront
  7. capital — money
  8. face — part of the head
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rash — a series
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. capital — a city
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rash — hasty
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cue — a hint
  24. dip — to sink

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