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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fork — in a road
  3. face — to point toward
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pit — in a race
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — a path
  10. present — there
  11. track — a song
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. present — a gift
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. face — to confront
  19. pit — a hole
  20. tube — a container
  21. present — the time now
  22. season — of the year
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. tube — the underground

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