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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. face — to point toward
  2. scale — size or range
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a hat
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. scale — in music
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wake — a trail
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — to fit
  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