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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mate — to breed
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. tube — a container
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — part of the head
  8. firm — steady
  9. last — finally
  10. pop — soda
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. last — final
  16. pop — to visit
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. firm — decided
  19. pop — music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. mate — a friend
  24. face — to confront

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