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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. suit — to fit
  4. face — to confront
  5. present — a gift
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. present — there
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. race — the arms race
  14. suit — clothes
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. game — a match
  19. face — part of the head
  20. race — humankind
  21. face — to point toward
  22. suit — in cards
  23. race — a contest
  24. nail — for a hammer

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