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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 120 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 hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — high quality
  3. present — a gift
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fine — all right
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. present — there
  11. foot — a measure
  12. can — a tin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. face — to confront
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. present — the time now

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