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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — a trace
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mark — a grade
  13. file — a document
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. file — a line of people
  16. tube — a container
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. face — to confront
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a tool
  22. toast — bread
  23. tube — the underground
  24. face — part of the head

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