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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a city
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bound — obliged
  15. face — part of the head
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bound — certain
  22. rush — hurry
  23. face — to point toward
  24. capital — money

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