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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pit — a hole
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fine — high quality
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. face — to point toward
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. face — to confront
  11. pit — in a race
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mark — a grade
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rule — government
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. can — a tin
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rule — to rule out

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