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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tube — a container
  7. fine — all right
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. present — there
  10. cap — a lid
  11. row — a line
  12. present — the time now
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fine — high quality
  17. suit — clothes
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. rest — a break
  21. suit — in cards
  22. present — a gift
  23. face — to point toward
  24. tube — the underground

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