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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. face — part of the head
  3. season — in sport
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. key — in music
  19. bass — low music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the fish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. season — of the year
  24. face — to confront

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