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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a tool
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. file — a line of people
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. file — a document
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. face — to confront
  19. kick — in football
  20. field — a subject
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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