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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mark — a grade
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. face — part of the head
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. face — to point toward

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