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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. face — part of the head
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bass — the fish
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. season — in sport
  19. shower — rain
  20. bass — low music
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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