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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — for betting
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fine — all right
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fine — high quality
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pit — a hole
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. face — to confront
  23. chip — to eat
  24. prune — the fruit

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