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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. face — part of the head
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. band — a ring
  8. face — to confront
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to click
  15. rock — a stone
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. deal — to handle
  18. band — a music group
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rock — music
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bear — the animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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