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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. track — a path
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cue — a hint
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — part of the head
  9. last — final
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. track — a song
  15. last — to go on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cue — a signal

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