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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to sink
  9. club — a group
  10. lean — to bend
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. club — for golf
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lean — thin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. club — for dancing
  21. chip — for betting
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. object — an aim

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