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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — all right
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kid — to tease
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. tube — the underground
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kid — child
  17. tube — a container
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — high quality
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — to confront
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. temple — a place of worship

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