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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. face — to confront
  9. charge — electricity
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — in control
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pass — a permit
  17. charge — a price
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. face — part of the head
  20. key — in music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. key — the most important part
  24. jam — a tight spot

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