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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — a jug

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