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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.

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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. firm — decided
  9. game — a match
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. suit — to fit
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — clothes

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