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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stand — to bear
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. cue — a signal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — to point toward
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. content — the amount
  20. can — a tin
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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