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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. mate — to breed
  5. face — part of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pound — a weight
  8. key — in music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. season — in sport
  16. lean — thin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lean — to bend
  19. season — of the year
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. face — to confront
  24. mate — a partner

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