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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. band — a ring
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a music group
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bore — to tire
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. current — electric
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — of water
  24. face — to confront

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