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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bound — certain
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. last — final
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fall — the season
  7. last — finally
  8. face — to confront
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fall — to drop
  12. last — to go on
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bound — obliged

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