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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a lid
  4. face — part of the head
  5. track — a path
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. track — a song
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. face — to confront
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — to point toward
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cap — a hat

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