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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bound — certain
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wind — moving air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to confront
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wind — moving air
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bound — tied together
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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