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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. face — part of the head
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ball — a dance
  6. roll — a cake
  7. plane — a tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cap — a hat
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. roll — a list
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cap — of ice

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