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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. charge — a price
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — a path
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — a song

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