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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. scale — size or range
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. capital — a city
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. face — to confront
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. capital — money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — in music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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