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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. capital — money
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — a safe
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. capital — a city
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. face — part of the head
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. face — to point toward
  17. tear — from crying
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. leaves — to go away

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