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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fine — all right
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — government
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — in cards
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — part of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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