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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cap — a hat
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cap — a lid
  10. root — of a word
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cap — of ice
  13. root — the cause
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — to confront
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — music
  20. root — of a plant
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. face — part of the head

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