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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cap — of ice
  3. face — to point toward
  4. race — humankind
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. face — part of the head
  8. race — the arms race
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. content — the amount
  14. race — a contest
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. content — happy
  17. pop — music
  18. band — a ring
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pop — soda
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a music group
  24. cap — a hat

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