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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tube — a container
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a path
  7. face — part of the head
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — a leader
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. face — to confront
  24. rest — a break

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