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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. face — to confront
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wake — a trail
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. race — humankind
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mug — to rob
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mug — a cup

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