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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. staff — employees
  3. face — to point toward
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. staff — a stick
  7. suit — in cards
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. face — to confront
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — part of the head
  17. net — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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