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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — humankind
  4. tear — from crying
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tear — to rip
  8. staff — employees
  9. face — to confront
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — a break
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mark — a grade
  20. race — a contest
  21. mug — a face
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. staff — a stick

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