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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. hand — in cards
  6. craft — boats
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — all right
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — to confront
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — on a finger

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