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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. current — of water
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. current — happening now
  8. chair — a leader
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. face — part of the head
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — electric
  15. march — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. march — the month
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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