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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mark — a trace
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. face — to confront
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. club — for dancing
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. club — for golf
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ground — a position
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a horse colour

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