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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. charge — in control
  3. net — for catching
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. face — to confront
  6. rock — music
  7. net — after costs
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. charge — a price
  16. toast — bread
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. key — for a lock
  21. face — part of the head
  22. march — the month
  23. net — in sport
  24. toast — the most admired

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