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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. face — to confront
  3. file — a line of people
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bound — obliged
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ball — a great time
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a tool
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. staff — employees
  15. suit — in cards
  16. face — part of the head
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — a lid
  20. file — a document
  21. cap — of ice
  22. court — for sport
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — to fit

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