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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. net — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. face — part of the head
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. net — after costs
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. charge — in control
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — a measure
  17. face — to confront
  18. deal — to handle
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. chair — to sit on

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