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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · hand · firm · bay · jam · staff · bulb · rest

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hand — help
  7. rest — a break
  8. staff — employees
  9. firm — a company
  10. face — part of the head
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — decided
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. face — to confront
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bulb — for light

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