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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — the time now
  6. face — to point toward
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — high quality
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. charge — a price
  13. present — a gift
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. face — to confront
  18. charge — electricity

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