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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: face · game · squash · lash · mug · last · bore · foot

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bore — to tire
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. foot — a measure
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. last — final
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mug — to rob
  16. face — part of the head
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mug — a cup
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. last — finally
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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