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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mug — a face
  3. mate — a partner
  4. race — a contest
  5. fine — all right
  6. bore — to drill
  7. face — part of the head
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rock — music
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. race — humankind
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mate — a friend
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — to breed
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mug — a cup
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mug — to rob

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