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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mate — a partner
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lean — to bend
  8. drill — army training
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bass — the fish
  13. face — part of the head
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — low music
  24. chair — a leader

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