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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rock — music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — a tool
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rock — a stone
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mouse — the animal

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