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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pop — soda
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pop — music
  17. face — to confront
  18. dip — to sink
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. deal — to handle

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