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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. bat — the animal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. band — a ring
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. band — a music group
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. face — to confront
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. mug — a cup
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cap — of ice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cap — a lid

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