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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. face — to confront
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pass — a permit
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stock — goods
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — a container
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pass — to succeed

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