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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. face — to point toward
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. present — a gift
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. charge — in control
  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