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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rash — a series
  3. mug — to rob
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mug — a face
  12. face — to confront
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. club — a group
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. shower — to wash
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mug — a cup

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