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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chair — a leader
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ground — a position
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. face — to point toward
  14. staff — employees
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — a break
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a professorship

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