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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rule — a law
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — part of the head
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. press — to push
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — government
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. face — to confront

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