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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: last · face · pass · bound · kick · mate · lash · bear

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — finally
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. last — final
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bound — certain
  14. mate — a friend
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. last — to go on
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. face — to confront
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — to point toward

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