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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rash — a series
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lean — to bend
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lean — thin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. fine — a penalty

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