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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: face · tear · suit · bay · arm · bore · cue · cap

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. face — to point toward
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cue — a signal
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — to confront
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — part of the 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