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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — a short time
  5. date — the fruit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — to get on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. board — a committee
  19. suit — to fit
  20. face — to confront
  21. spell — magic
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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