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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — high quality
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cold — an illness
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — bread
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fine — all right
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cold — not warm
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. face — to confront
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cold — the Cold War

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