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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cue — a signal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. scale — in music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — size or range

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