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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — a coil
  4. face — to confront
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mug — a cup
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — of a river
  11. charge — in control
  12. mug — a face
  13. spring — the season
  14. face — part of the head
  15. spring — of water
  16. mine — for digging
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mug — to rob
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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