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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. court — for sport
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. present — the time now
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cell — a phone
  15. charge — a price
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. present — a gift
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mine — for digging
  21. face — to confront
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. present — there
  24. face — part of the head

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