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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. march — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. sharp — clever
  23. march — the month
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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