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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 124 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. drill — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. land — to come down
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. face — to confront
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — a practice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. drill — army training
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rock — a stone
  20. suit — in cards
  21. land — ground
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rock — to move gently

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