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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · kid · bound · lash · press · face · mate · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bound — tied together
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. face — to confront
  6. mate — a partner
  7. press — to push
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mate — to breed
  10. face — to point toward
  11. press — a publisher
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. press — newspapers
  16. face — part of the head
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bound — certain
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. kid — child
  24. bound — obliged

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