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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. track — a song
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — hurry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. face — part of the head
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — to get on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pop — soda
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. board — a committee
  24. pop — to visit

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