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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. face — part of the head
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. band — a music group
  9. bore — to tire
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. can — a tin
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — to be able to
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. face — to confront
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. staff — a stick
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bore — to drill

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