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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 · rash · leaves · foot · board · lash · season · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. face — to confront
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. face — to point toward
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. foot — a measure

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