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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — in cards
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — part of the head
  8. field — farmland
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. field — a subject
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hand — help
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. field — for sport
  20. rock — music
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. can — to be able to
  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