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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — to confront
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rock — music
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — crushed
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ground — a position
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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