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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.

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: face · clip · mug · jam · sharp · lash · mouse · racket

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. clip — for paper
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mug — a cup
  12. face — to point toward
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mug — to rob
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. face — to confront
  24. clip — to cut

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