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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — a grade
  4. present — there
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. face — to confront
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. race — humankind
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — a gift
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — a stick
  19. race — a contest
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — the arms race

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