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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · safe · face · bark · band · pop · lash · cap

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pop — music
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. face — part of the head
  9. cap — of ice
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. band — a ring
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. band — a music group
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pop — soda
  23. cap — a hat
  24. safe — a strongbox

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