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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. current — happening now
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. face — to confront
  12. net — for catching
  13. current — of water
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. net — after costs
  18. pit — a hole
  19. net — in sport
  20. fork — in a road
  21. current — electric
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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