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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. suit — in cards
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ground — the earth
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. present — the time now
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — to fit
  12. squash — to crush
  13. ground — a position
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. squash — the sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. face — to point toward
  19. spell — letters
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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