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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. object — an aim
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. object — to protest
  9. season — of the year
  10. tube — a container
  11. object — a thing
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. face — part of the head
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rock — music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. key — for a lock
  20. tube — the underground
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rock — to move gently

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