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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — in football
  5. face — to confront
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rest — a break
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — part of the head
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. face — to point toward

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