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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cue — for pool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. face — to confront
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — the underground
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. tube — a container
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wax — to grow
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cue — a hint
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. leaves — lets stay

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