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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tube — the underground
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cap — a hat
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. face — to confront
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bowl — a football final

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