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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lean — thin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — to confront
  9. key — for a lock
  10. field — for sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. field — a subject
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mark — a trace
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mark — a grade
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bulb — for light
  22. field — farmland
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. key — in music

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