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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pit — in a race
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — in a road
  9. content — the amount
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. content — happy
  12. board — to get on
  13. mug — to rob
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. face — part of the head
  19. board — a committee
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mug — a face
  24. object — to protest

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