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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. game — wild animals
  5. key — in music
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bear — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. face — to confront
  10. charge — in control
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. charge — electricity
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. game — a match
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bear — the animal

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