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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.

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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. spring — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. scale — in music
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. face — part of the head
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lean — thin
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mug — a face
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. can — a tin

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