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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — tied together
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bound — certain
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. land — ground
  14. wind — moving air
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — in music
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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