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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. spring — the season
  9. season — of the year
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. spring — a coil
  15. face — to confront
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bound — certain
  21. craft — boats
  22. spring — of water
  23. bound — obliged
  24. craft — a skill

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