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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. band — a music group
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — steady
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — decided
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. firm — a company
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. band — a ring
  24. fan — to cool the air

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