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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. key — the most important part
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fall — to drop
  13. spell — letters
  14. face — to confront
  15. charge — in control
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — magic
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — a trainer

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