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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mug — a face
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. tube — a container
  7. drill — a practice
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. face — part of the head
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. face — to point toward
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. drill — army training

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