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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — after costs
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — all right
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. net — in sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. staff — a stick
  18. net — for catching
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fork — a garden tool

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