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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. face — to confront
  7. toast — bread
  8. pass — a permit
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. can — a tin
  11. file — a line of people
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to sink
  15. file — a document
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. can — to be able to
  19. face — part of the head
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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