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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cue — for pool
  5. face — to confront
  6. rash — a series
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rash — hasty

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