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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. net — in sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. fall — the season
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — for catching
  13. fall — to drop
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. face — part of the head
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fall — to drop
  18. face — to point toward
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. net — after costs
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — clever
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — a monarch

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