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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. face — to point toward
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — a safe
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. file — a document
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. face — part of the head
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pound — a weight
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mark — to pay attention

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