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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chair — a leader
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bass — the fish
  14. firm — decided
  15. bass — low music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — part of the head
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. face — to confront
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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