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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — to point toward
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. face — to confront
  12. field — for sport
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rest — what's left

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