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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pit — in a race
  4. charge — a price
  5. last — finally
  6. charge — electricity
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. foot — a measure
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — final
  11. face — to point toward
  12. last — to go on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. charge — in control
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pit — a hole

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