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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — a tool
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. row — a line
  10. face — part of the head
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. shower — rain
  15. cap — of ice
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. face — to point toward
  24. suit — in cards

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