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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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. drill — army training
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cell — a phone
  8. face — part of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. face — to confront
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. drill — the tool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — a stone
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fan — to cool the air

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