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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. face — to confront
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fine — all right
  14. rash — hasty
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rash — a series
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fine — high quality

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