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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. face — part of the head
  10. object — to protest
  11. scale — in music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — a stick
  19. face — to confront
  20. object — an aim
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to point toward
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rush — hurry

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