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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. shower — rain
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — obliged
  7. staff — employees
  8. cap — of ice
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a hat
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. face — to point toward
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bound — tied together
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. shower — to wash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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