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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. track — a path
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a hole
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. object — a thing
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fall — to drop
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — a song
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. face — part of the head
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fall — the season
  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