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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. can — to be able to
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ground — crushed
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. ground — the earth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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