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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. last — finally
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. firm — decided
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. track — a song
  8. firm — a company
  9. squash — the sport
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — to crush
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. last — final
  19. firm — steady
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. last — to go on
  24. squash — the vegetable

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