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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — to point toward
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. degree — temperature
  7. chair — a leader
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. face — part of the head
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. degree — from a university
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pit — in a race
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. kick — in football
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — a container
  22. pound — a weight
  23. face — to confront
  24. degree — an amount

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