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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 120 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.

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: leaves · face · racket · hand · lash · lie · pitcher · press

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. face — to confront
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lie — to recline
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hand — help
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. leaves — lets stay

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