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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rule — a law
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. face — to confront
  17. can — a tin
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rule — government
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — to be able to

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