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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. face — to confront
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. face — part of the head
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cap — a hat
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spell — magic
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mine — for digging
  14. march — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spell — a short time
  19. can — a tin
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. spell — letters

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