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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — to trim

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