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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to point toward
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. drill — army training
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — of ice
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. spell — letters
  24. trunk — of a car

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