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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · bowl · face · lash · patient · squash · ball · trunk

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. ball — a great time
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fine — all right
  10. face — to confront
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a dance
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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