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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. saw — the tool
  3. face — to point toward
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. face — part of the head
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. tube — a container
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. face — to confront
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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