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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a partner
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. can — to be able to
  11. key — for a lock
  12. kick — in football
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rule — government
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — to confront
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. face — to point toward

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