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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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 confront
  2. rock — music
  3. march — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — for digging
  8. march — the month
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rest — a break
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. march — the month
  20. toast — bread
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. stand — on your feet
  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