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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 124 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. face — to confront
  2. lean — thin
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bore — to drill
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pop — soda
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mug — a face
  20. bore — to tire
  21. snap — to click
  22. pop — to visit
  23. scale — for weighing
  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