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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. face — to confront
  5. pop — music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. firm — steady
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — soda
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — a company
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — a thing
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bass — low music
  22. object — an aim
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ball — a great time

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