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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. chest — of your body
  7. face — to point toward
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. staff — employees
  12. face — to confront
  13. mug — a face
  14. face — part of the head
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mug — to rob
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bound — certain
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rule — government
  24. chest — of your body

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