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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. staff — employees
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — a position
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ground — the earth
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cue — a signal
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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