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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — a gift
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. field — a subject
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. face — to confront
  10. present — there
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cue — a signal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cue — a hint
  16. season — of the year
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bass — low music
  20. field — for sport
  21. bass — the fish
  22. field — farmland
  23. cue — for pool
  24. safe — out of danger

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