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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cue — a signal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cue — a hint
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. craft — boats
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lean — to bend
  12. key — the most important part
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lean — thin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bear — the animal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bear — the animal
  20. squash — the sport
  21. key — in music
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. face — to point toward

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