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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. band — a music group
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — clothes
  6. march — the month
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — to fit
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lean — thin
  11. face — to confront
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. row — a line
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. march — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. suit — in cards
  22. band — a ring
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lean — to bend

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