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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cap — of ice
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rule — government
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ground — a position
  17. face — to confront
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wind — moving air
  20. kick — in football
  21. rule — a law
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cabinet — ministers

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