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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. toast — bread
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mark — a grade
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — of a river
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mark — a trace

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