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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. season — of the year
  7. face — to point toward
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pit — in a race
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — tied together
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. racket — for tennis

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