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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: nail · face · rock · press · mug · swing · lash · ball

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. swing — music
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — a cup
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. press — to push
  14. mug — a face
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. swing — in golf
  18. press — newspapers
  19. swing — to play on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mug — to rob

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