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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pit — a hole
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — after costs
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — in a race
  14. scale — in music
  15. net — in sport
  16. present — there
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. scale — size or range
  20. face — to confront
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — a gift
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fork — a garden tool

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