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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rule — government
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mug — a face
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. rule — a law
  11. cell — in biology
  12. firm — steady
  13. ground — a position
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ground — crushed
  17. firm — a company
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — decided
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mug — a cup
  24. face — to confront

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