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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. race — humankind
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — music
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. degree — temperature
  13. ball — a dance
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. degree — an amount
  17. race — a contest
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. degree — from a university
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — lets stay

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