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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. key — the most important part
  3. snap — to click
  4. key — in music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — to go on
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. kick — in football
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. present — there
  20. face — to confront
  21. last — final
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. key — for a lock

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