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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · cap · fine · rest · prune · mark · face · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. face — to confront
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rule — government
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. face — part of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — a break
  16. cap — a lid
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rule — a law
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — a trace

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