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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. face — to confront
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. toast — bread
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stand — to bear
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — to point toward
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bowl — a football final

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