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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cold — an illness
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. plane — a tool
  11. face — part of the head
  12. suit — clothes
  13. track — to keep track
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. track — a song
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cold — not warm

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