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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 124 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fine — all right
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. key — the most important part
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rock — music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fine — high quality
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. key — in music

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