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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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Word bank
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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 · ruler · chest · bay · mug · pass · net · spell

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — magic
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — in sport
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — a cup
  13. net — for catching
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — a short time
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. net — after costs
  23. mug — to rob
  24. ruler — a monarch

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