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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 112 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. net — for catching
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. net — after costs
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. face — to confront
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. net — in sport

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