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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — a tool
  4. face — to confront
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. season — in sport
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. season — of the year
  16. chair — a leader
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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