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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: mate · patient · face · squash · craft · lash · track · leaves

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mate — a friend
  4. face — to confront
  5. track — to keep track
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. face — to point toward
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — a song
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — boats
  18. squash — to crush
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — to breed
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — a skill
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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