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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — to confront
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. last — finally
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chair — a leader
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. last — final
  14. perch — the fish
  15. last — to go on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chair — to sit on

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