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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 124 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fine — high quality
  3. band — a music group
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — to confront
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — magic
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a ring
  15. scale — size or range
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. scale — in music
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — boats
  23. spell — letters
  24. face — to point toward

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