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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — a cup
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. last — final
  13. wake — a trail
  14. drill — a practice
  15. club — a group
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. chair — a leader
  20. club — for golf
  21. face — to confront
  22. mug — to rob
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. club — for dancing

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