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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to point toward
  3. staff — a stick
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. squash — to crush
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cap — a lid
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — a hat
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pound — a weight
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cap — of ice
  19. face — to confront
  20. fine — all right
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. face — part of the head

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