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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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. bore — to drill
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — to bear
  7. season — in sport
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — government
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. face — to confront
  14. rule — a law
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. object — a thing
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bore — gave birth

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