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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mate — to breed
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rule — a law
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mate — a friend
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rule — government
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young 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