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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. date — the fruit
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — all right
  5. face — to point toward
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bat — the animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. face — to confront
  24. bat — in an idiom

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