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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: spell · wound · bay · pound · lash · press · face · nail

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — newspapers
  17. spell — letters
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pound — a weight
  21. press — to push
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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