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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. staff — a stick
  3. snap — to click
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — bread
  11. staff — employees
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to confront
  14. staff — employees
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mug — a cup
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mug — a face
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. toast — the most admired

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