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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. firm — steady
  5. track — a path
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. track — to keep track
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. track — a song
  19. firm — a company
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — part of the head
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wax — to grow
  24. face — to confront

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