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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — a partner
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bass — the fish
  11. race — a contest
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mate — a friend
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — to breed
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. suit — to fit
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. race — humankind
  21. bass — low music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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