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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. face — to confront
  5. staff — employees
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. staff — a stick
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — electricity
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. season — in sport
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. race — the arms race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. face — part of the head
  20. charge — in control
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — a price

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