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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. court — for sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. face — to point toward
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. toast — bread
  16. court — of law
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to confront
  19. court — of a king
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mug — to rob
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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