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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. charge — in control
  5. drill — a practice
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — a price
  9. drill — army training
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. suit — in cards
  13. season — of the year
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. face — to point toward
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. charge — electricity
  22. face — to confront
  23. suit — clothes
  24. season — to add flavour

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