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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ground — the earth
  6. track — a song
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ground — a position
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wake — a trail
  19. track — a path
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. face — to confront

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