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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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — boats
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rule — a law
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. face — part of the head
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — in a road
  22. face — to point toward
  23. track — a song
  24. fork — a garden tool

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