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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — in control
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bat — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. charge — a price
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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