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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. face — to point toward
  3. suit — to fit
  4. race — a contest
  5. cap — a lid
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. race — the arms race
  8. suit — clothes
  9. face — part of the head
  10. staff — a stick
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — of water
  13. cap — of ice
  14. staff — employees
  15. face — to confront
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. current — happening now
  18. race — humankind
  19. sharp — clever
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — a hat
  24. coach — a trainer

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