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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cap — a hat
  4. drill — a practice
  5. face — to point toward
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — final
  9. cap — of ice
  10. press — newspapers
  11. face — part of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — a publisher
  14. can — to be able to
  15. drill — army training
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — to go on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. press — to push
  20. last — finally
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — a lid
  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