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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to confront
  3. cap — of ice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — steady
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — a company
  9. march — music
  10. face — to point toward
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. drill — army training
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — decided
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cap — a hat

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