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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a word
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bank — of a river
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. face — to confront
  18. mug — a face
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — a gift
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — a trail
  24. root — of a plant

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