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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: date · stand · lash · face · mouse · key · roll · rock

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. face — part of the head
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. key — in music
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stand — to bear
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — for a lock
  22. roll — a list
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rock — music

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