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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — to confront
  4. rest — a break
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chip — to eat
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — a trail
  13. face — part of the head
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. face — to point toward

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