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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. can — to be able to
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rock — music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. row — to paddle
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. capital — money
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. capital — a city
  24. cue — a signal

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