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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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rule — government
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — to confront
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. last — final
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. last — finally
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. last — to go on
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rule — a law
  16. march — music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. march — the month
  20. craft — boats
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. march — the month
  24. rule — to rule out

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