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

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rest — a break
  4. march — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. face — part of the head
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. fall — the season
  11. rest — what's left
  12. march — the month
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — a series
  17. march — the month
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — to confront
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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