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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pop — soda
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. face — to confront
  9. stand — to bear
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tube — the underground
  12. season — in sport
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. file — a line of people
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. face — part of the head
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fine — all right
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. file — a document
  24. season — of the year

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