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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — electric
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — an amount
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. face — to point toward
  19. tube — a container
  20. degree — temperature
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. degree — from a university

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