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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. face — to confront
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a face
  5. cold — an illness
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — to rob
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — a tin
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — to point toward
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. face — part of the head
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bank — for money
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — exactly

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